The Charles Dickens Letters Project

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How to cite:

Individual letter:

Dickens, Charles. To [addressee], [date of letter]. Charles Dickens Letters Project, ed. Leon Litvack, Emily Bell, Lydia Craig and Jeremy Parrott (London: Dickens Fellowship). [URL of individual letter], [date of access].

Database:

Charles Dickens Letters Project, ed. Leon Litvack, Emily Bell, Lydia Craig and Jeremy Parrott (London: Dickens Fellowship), DickensLetters.com.

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Period:

1861-1870

Theme(s):

social engagements

family

To THE REV. H. M. ROBINSON,1 12 SEPTEMBER 1868

MS Klaus Schappert.

GAD’S HILL PLACE, | HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT.

Saturday Twelfth September, 1868

My Dear Sir

I am truly obliged to you for your interesting and welcome letter, and its accompanying invitation.2 But I regret that I cannot accept the latter; as I shall, on the day to which it refers, be parting from my youngest son,3 bound for Australia and Bush Life.4

The Rev: H. M. Robinson

I am My Dear Sir | Faithfully Yours

CHARLES DICKENS

1. Henry Mould (or Mowld) Robinson (d. 1896); Assistant Master, St Mary and St Nicolas School, Lancing, Sussex (Clergy List, 1868); appointed (Jan 68) Head Master of Archbishop Harsnett’s School, Chigwell, Essex (Pall Mall Gazette, 14 Jan 68; Clergy List, 1869).
2. Untraced; presumably linked to Robinson’s move to Chigwell, setting of the Maypole Inn in Barnaby Rudge.
3. Edward Bulwer Lytton Dickens (“Plorn”), (1852-1902).
4. Edward left London, 26 Sep, on his way to Australia, where he was to join his brother, Alfred, having completed his course at the Agricultural College, Cirencester in July.